Administrative Vice‐Minister Moriguchi visits Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged

Administrative Vice‐Minister Moriguchi visits Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged

Administrative Vice窶信inister Moriguchi visits Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged

(2012.07.12)

Administrative Vice窶信inister Moriguchi of the Ministry of Education‚ Culture‚ Sports‚ Science and Technology (MEXT) visited Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged‚ University of Tsukuba on July 12.The school is the only school for physically-disabled students among schools attached to a university.

The school has two campuses: "Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged" for students who can commute to school; and "National Rehabilitation Center for Children with Disabilities" for students who need residential care.

Administrative Vice窶信inister Moriguchi received explanation about the school's education and research activities from Principal Kawama of the Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged.The activities included: "To select carefully education content of national language‚ arithmetic‚ and mathematics for students with disabilities and make the learning process more responsive to the individual student" (Special Needs Education Promotion Project of the MEXT); "To receive incumbent trainees‚ foreign trainees‚ and student teachers"; and "To provide the Teaching Certificate Renewal Course (practical training at the school)."

They exchanged opinions about the three centers of future education of the Education Bureau of the Laboratory Schools‚ University of Tsukuba (Leading Education Center‚ Teaching Education Center‚ International Education Center).

After the talk‚ Administrative Vice窶信inister Moriguchi observed classes from the elementary school to high school classes of Special Needs Education School for the Physically Challenged. He visited an independent activity class‚ gymnasium‚ auditorium‚ and PC room.

He saw students enjoying learning English by singing with an assistant language teacher (ALT) in an English class‚ and studying counting using "otedama" (beanbag) in an arithmetic class.

Since the school building was established in 1963‚ it included a lot of parts that needed to be improved‚ such as the differences in level on the floor and the angle of the slopes. The school expressed its demand to improve its architectural structure so the students will be able to spend their school life more comfortably.